HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.344 1996-1998 May 14, 1997 ~~~I~1
Aloha Councilors and Concerned Friends, L'LL~(/~
~dy name is Marie Aguilar, my address is Post Cffice Bo>: 1879,
Kai.lua-Kona. Mahalo for year consideration for your presence
today. I have attended several public hearings, anal have i,ritten
all m~,~ testimony up until today. Today, ~ feel more ccmpeied to
explain tc you s~rhy I oppose the building of a nuclear irradiat-i.on
facility. I'ou may address it as post -harvest treatment L-acility,
but I will never call it that. This Council is amending Ordinance
No. 95-68, relating tc °ublic Improvements and financinc,• ther._of
Por ~l:e Fiscal year Juiy 1, 1996 to Junc. 30, 1997 for. $2 million
doii~r~. There are many more needed projects am~aiting `Undir.~,
such as roads for Kona, waterworks projects, sewer projects,
landfill projects, waste disposal projects, just a fev: [or .~tartcrs.
West Hawaii does deserve some of this funding.
l ara .ecply concerned about the health hazards this ~:a~.':ear facility
will bring to this island. Let me assure you that hate read extensive
material concerning irradiation, both pro and con. Le'~ us decide this
maC~cr intelligently. Nuclear food- irradiators have caused health
.:ci<. :;ed 111neSSeS, SllCh d5 CanCerr ~L%'l rti'1 C1 'af eCtS, and U'r~e.mia if
there is an over-exposure accident. Guidelines in the :Paclear
3e,u_ahory Commission Rules and '3egulationss'tate the dangcr~, o`
Cobalt -E0. othero:ise a local health commission wculc' oversee it's
c r_e r<,~icns. i have end about the acc_d~~nt in 1°67 ir. ionclu l.u
„_,~c.. causer.. radioactive .materials to contaminate oar ~oi1. _
clean up cost taxpayers X12 million dollars, e;hat taonln it cost
as today, maybe $40 million, it would be hard to estimate.
C',ze V?2C allows some of the water Erom the pool to be drained
through tr.e sewer system. This is a form of radioactive disposal.
live on this beautiful island and we must protect t'.:e entire
islar.c.. T do not want a food irradiation facility any ,where on
'ahis ~slar.d, funded by this County or County funding a private
comp=ny tc operate- it either;;;e must; consider the 12ga'_ orobl2ras.
The Mate of Alaska does not support ar.y food irradiaticr.. 8awaii
s'nould do the sama. I believe that we have already becnn th^ process
ir: c'~:r State Constitution, Article yII Section *8. i.'o maclcar
Fise'.on po;rer plant shall be const-ruct.ed or radioactive materia].
dls~-::sed of in the State z~rithout the ,rior approval by a two-thi°d
votes ~n each house of the legislature (Add Cont. Con 1978 and election
Noc. 7, 1978.) I believe that a~ disposal of radioactive material
throuc'~ anyewer system such as proposed in Hilo would violate our
Constitution.
Ploase consider the changes in our United States, mainland, free
trade with Canada and rlexic0. What direction we taKe to compete
on tl-io ma i.i:land F7i11 dcterrnine our success, and I feel we should see?t
ot`;er alternatives. Please maKe the right choice for your
~.Ia:.~;, o£ us have provided you with data that is relevant..
xar,a;~o.
Mar q,~- u i l~ wm~n. Dlo. D ~.~p _
FI1e 1(0.
Presented
lewt. I)ste MAY 1 5 1997